Jasmine Brookins Portfolio
Job Shadowing Amanda Cain
I was privileged enough to shadow the Pistons team photographer Amanda Cain on the last preseason game day before the regular season. On top of working for the Pistons, Amanda Cain was the first black woman team photographer to work for an NHL team where she worked with the San Jose Sharks. She is currently based in Detroit, Mi but has lived all around the states with hopes to travel and live in Montana at some point in the future.
My shooting experience was absolutely amazing. We met up at 1pm at the pistons performance center where the office is where she showed me around and introduced me to the different people that work together to create the face of the team. After that we headed over to the arena about 2 hours before the players started arriving to get everything set up and so I could see the arena beforehand. We started off shooting arrivals and I learned about playing around with the lighting and different angles to shoot with how the back of the arena is set up. After arrivals finished we went to the media editing room where we edited before heading to the court to get some pictures of warm ups and so I could see where I was allowed to sit. I was able to be on the court during starting lineups and the national anthem. After that I went to the stands to shoot the first quarter before I was able to stay in the court for the last three. This experience inspired me a ton because I was able to shoot such a big moment and learn from one of the best about what goes into everything behind the scenes. I have never been the most confident person or photographer so seeing someone who goes after what she wants and knows she deserves is really inspiring.
Outside of the classroom I was able to learn truly about sports photography. From talking to Amanda to talking to the NBA photographers I learned that most photographers dress comfortably not professionally and that counters almost everything that is taught in classes. I also learned from an NBA photographer that when the players are far away it is better to shoot horizontally but when they get closer to switch to vertical that way you can get everything in both scenarios. That is a really big lesson because I did not know it is standard to go back and forth. While talking to the photographer (Montez) she told me about back focus and how most professional sports photographers use it and I was very shocked because I had never heard of it.
At the beginning of my experience I talked a lot with Amanda about being a woman of color in the field and being a sports fan in the field and how to handle the “fangirl moments”. I definitely had quite a few of those while I was there and what she told me was that over time it gets easier because you see them as just another person. Photographing a professional game with people I grew up watching on different teams made me realize how hard it would be to shoot for my favorite teams. We talked about having the strength to hide the excitement when in front of players and letting it out later on but also focusing on the main priority which is the game. The best piece of advice I got from this experience I would also put under something readers should know. Specifically those of color, as women it is hard enough to get into the field of sports photography and especially as women of color because a lot of people look down on us and we do not get opportunities we deserve. Amanda told me to not think about what other people think, we get the opportunities we deserve and if others do not see it that way it is on them.
Being able to see a team photographer working in person helped me realize how much I want that career path. A lot of the players knew her by her name and she knew almost everyone I walked past. She is confident in herself and is comfortable in her position and I really look up to that. She also taught me that it is okay being a jack of all trades. When she was in college it was a bad thing and was seen as someone trying to do too much but now it is encouraged. It is hard getting in the field of sports photography so being able to do other things and showcase those skills to get in the door is really important. She helped me figure out the best way to set my settings in not great lighting when we were shooting the team arrivals on the loading dock which was in the back with a bunch of trucks in the background. While not the most ideal there are ways to work around it.
I learned that there is a lot that goes on in the world of sports and there is a lot of drama. Even though it is expected for drama to go on in the locker room I heard about drama and tension from athlete to staff and the best way to handle situations like that is to ignore it. Overall I would say that I am even more excited for the future and learned more about getting started. Amanda told me about internships the Pistons and other teams offer for post graduates and she has connections with the Sharks which is one of the teams I am hoping to work for in the future. This goes into the situation when people say that connections mean everything. Even though it is scary reaching out to someone new for the first time it is worth it and can lead to the opportunity of a lifetime. Getting to talk and shadow someone who looks like me is a dream come true and helps me believe that I do have a chance to make it out there.
The New Papa of The Patch
Photostory 1
William (Bill) Miller Jr. eats an ear of sweet corn from the field before tossing it to the side for the scavengers at Papa's Pumpkin Patch, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. ©Jasmine Brookins
Originally founded in 2000 Papa's Pumpkin Patch has formed to be a vital staple in the city of Mount Pleasant playing a key part in the city's fall activities. The farm was originally founded by William Miller; however, after the passing of Miller in 2023 and the passing of his wife Delores (Dee) in April 2026, the ownership of the farm has transitioned to their son William (Bill) Miller Jr. who grew up on the farm and his family.
While Miller Jr. uses his time tending to the animals and crops while also making sure everything around the farm stays in order his wife and daughter, Kristyn who has been helping out with the farm since before she was 13, help out with the behind the scenes of event planning and kitchen work. Outside of the fall amenities the farm is open year round providing the community with corn, jams, apples and more.
With Mount Pleasant switching into the fall season the farm is in its busiest time of the year with community events, crop growing and work days during the week typically range from before sun up to after sun down in order to maintain all 50 acres of land. After a summer of fog due to the Canadian fires, portions of the land struggled to produce pumpkins creating a hardship for Miller Jr. as he transitioned into his newly found role.
REFLECTION
This assignment was honestly pretty hard. It was hard to come up with an idea from the get go and then once we got started it was definitely difficult to find the time to get to the patch because the time they are technically speaking open is when I am either doing something else or in class. Despite that challenge it was fun to shoot. I learned more about farming and what the patch has to offer. I also got out of my comfort zone by going around his farm with him in his truck and gator. Especially when I went to the casino with him. If I were to reshoot I would try and go around the farm with him again to try and get some different shots from other angles. The unfortunate part with that though is that after that first time, every other time I went to the patch he was not out and about he was doing stuff in the area. This story was definitely more a story of situational luck since he goes less based on a schedule unless it is with the goats and pigs. He can be anywhere at any time so I would have to have some real luck to catch him at a time where he is out in the patch.